Chapter 17 #2
Ryan McNite's information stared back at him.
Of course, Kam wouldn't have the fake money to back his name, nor the impressive degrees, but he'd find something to do.
The last two days, he discovered that he enjoyed homesteading and building something with his own hands.
Kam shook his head then turned the page.
The next few were pictures of the homestead and surrounding area.
It was a nice piece of land. Close enough to a paved road, yet far enough into the bush that it would be easy to stay under the radar.
The name on the last page stared at Kam who blinked a few times trying to allow his brain to process the dossier in front of him. Emma McNite, wife and web designer. Taylor's picture stared at him.
"What do you think?" Taylor stood at the back door in a flannel shirt and cargo pants. Kam hadn't seen a more beautiful sight.
He dropped the papers and leapt to the deck in one bound, crushing her against him. He was drenched in sweat, but he wouldn't waste another minute without her in his arms. She held on to him as if she was as desperate to never let him go as he was with her.
"Wait." Kam pulled back. "If we are to be married, I want it to be real. No secrets before God." Kam kissed her knuckles.
"Is there a preacher on this island?" he asked Ted. "I need to make Taylor my wife before we change our names."
Taylor's eyes lit with delight. "Finally," she giggled.
Kam claimed her lips with his before dragging her with him to the church in town.
Ted and Amelia were members there and got the preacher to agree to do the ceremony that afternoon.
Shortly after they said their vows, Amelia was loading their things into a blue-and-white Cessna 206.
"Did you ever get that pilot's license?" Amelia shut the compartment door to the bush plane.
Kam shook his head, but kept his arm around Taylor.
"Well, Mr. McNite, that'll be on the short list. There is a landing strip not far from your place and it'll be a skill that you should have.
It is also where you can have supplies delivered or airdropped. This will limit your exposure in town."
Kam opened the door and offered Taylor his hand to climb in. He settled next to her in the back strapping the harness across his body. His gaze settled on her, "You ready for the next adventure together, Mrs. McNite?"
A smile split Taylor's beautiful face. "Wherever we go, we go together."
As Kam laid in bed a few nights later with Taylor sleeping on his shoulder, he thanked God one more time for bringing him out of the darkness and creating a place that he could call home with the woman that he loved.
It didn't matter the names that they were given or where they lived, as long as they were together, Kam would face whatever this world threw at them.
A knock at their door had Taylor sitting up in bed and reaching for her gun in the drawer of the night stand. Kam was already out of the bedroom door, gun in hand, and padding down the hall to the front door when a knock came again.
Taylor whispered from behind. "No movement in the house. Only one person at the door." She angled the tablet with the security footage on it towards him.
They approached the entryway side-by-side. Taylor took her position next to the door as Kam opened the heavy wooden door a fraction. "Kong, let me in." Amelia waited for him to open the door the rest of the way. "I've got your first assignment."
Taylor looked at her watch then at Amelia, "You know what time it is, right?"
"Yes, and usually I would contact you via your box in Homer, but this couldn't wait.
" Amelia's urgency set Kam on edge. Someone must be in trouble if Amelia was breaking protocol.
"The FBI lost all trails of Katarina. They're not even sure she is in country anymore.
I know you are a gatekeeper here, but since this one was personal, I'd give you two first crack at tracking her down. "
Kam's brow furrowed. "I thought Second Watch was in the business of helping people find new lives and protecting those that needed it?" Kam felt some of the tension drain from his shoulders. "Why the witch hunt?"
Amelia shrugged. "Alexei is funding this mission and he wanted the best to find her. He said, his family's reign on terror would end if it was the only thing he did."
"But why did you wake us in the middle of the night?" Taylor sat down on the couch and Kam joined her.
"There are rumors that Katarina wants to start her own school."
The force of that statement hit Kam square in the chest. Taylor looked at them both with confusion etched on her face. "What kind of school?"
"The same kind that trained her to be who she is." Amelia's omission turned Kam's blood cold.
"How many are missing?" Kam asked through clenched teeth. If Katarina thought she could steal girls to train them to become assassins, he'd put an end to that.
Amelia's eyes turned stormy. "Two attributed to her, but if someone doesn't stop her, who knows how many she'll take."
Kam looked at Taylor. "Ready to hunt for another ghost?"
Taylor nodded. "When do we leave?"